The present invention relates to a new and distinct Roscoea purpurea, and given the cultivar name ‘Spice Island’. Roscoea is in the family Zingiberaceae. Roscoea purpurea ‘Spice Island’ is a result of a planned breeding cross to make a thick, dark stemmed, dark leaf Roscoea purpurea. The parents were proprietary unreleased seedlings using 7-3, as the seed parent, and 5-1, as the pollen parent.
Compared to Roscoea purpurea ‘Brown Peacock’ (an unpatented plant), the other dark leaf Roscoea on the market, the new variety has thicker, darker stems and wider leaves. It is also more vigorous.